Posturing Up: The Three S’s of Your Posture
The importance of your posture cannot be overstated. Practicing good posture can limit 
your risk of arthritis, take stress off your joints and muscles which can help reduce pain, as well as generally providing you with an overall look of confidence (and maybe even looking a little lighter too!). In order to maintain your healthy posture, follow these general guidelines for the three S’s:
Standing – Standing upright is one of the first things people think of when it comes to posture. However, just because people think of this does not mean they put it into practice. Next time you find yourself standing, imagine a straight line running vertical to your body. Your ears should be connected to your shoulders and so on down to your ankles. If you’re not use to this, you may find it a bit uncomfortable at first, but practice makes perfect.
Sitting– Many people spend their days sitting so they must focus their attention on improving their posture while sitting. Begin by using a chair with a high back and sit with your hips as far back as possible, maintaining contact between your back and the back of the chair. If you find this difficult, you may also want to try adding a small pillow or back support behind your lower back for additional support.
Sleeping – Really? You have to worry about posture even when you’re sleeping? That’s right. Sleeping in poor positions or on unfavorable conditions can put undue stress on your spine and actually weaken the muscles in your back. To prevent this, be sure to always sleep on your back our your side. Always, consider switching to a firmer mattress. Obviously, the firmer the mattress, the more support you will receive for your back, helping to prevent you from waking up with an achy back.
Think of your posture as the foundation of your house. If your house was built on a crooked foundation, you likely wouldn’t want to live in the house. So, why should your posture be any different? After all, it sets the tone for a great deal of your health.
